Method of and apparatus for conditioning shoe filler compositions



Aug. 9, 1960 J. B. REID EIAL 2,948,001

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SHOE FILLER COMPOSITIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 7. 1958 2d W M a I i 5 7 A I. I I. A u T -J M i |.\|W H. O 0 LE l .II M z I a i Jwi/a B. Fezd F0691? Jae/age i M fill- 4. fizzy Aug. 9, 1960 J. B. REID ETAL 2,948,001 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SHOE FILLER COMPOSITIONS Filed May 7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fave/afar;

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Aug. 9, 1960 J. B. REID EI'AL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SHOE FILLER couposmous 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 7, 1958 fwezzzaizi 25%); J1 few I059)?! J7. 'yeiwe METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITION- ING SHOE FILLER COMPOSITIONS John B. Reid, Brighton, and Robert A. Spence, Lincoln,

Mass, assignors to North American Chemical Company, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation-of Massachusetts Filed May 7, 1958, Ser. No. 733,757

'3 Claims. (Cl. 122- 182) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for the conditioning of thermoplastic shoe filler compositions, in readiness for their application to the bottom cavities of shoes and the uniform spreading and distribution of the filler therein.

In the prior art, shoe filler compositions have been made of a granular body material, such as ground cork, and a binder component, such as waxtailings and resins. These compositions have required softening, by heating with steam or adding hot water, or both, in order to apply them to the bottom cavity of the shoe, which is done by hand entirely or with the supplemental use of a mechanical press.

The use of steam or hot water, in such operations, has always presented difficulties and also introduced variations in the composition and properties of the filler, making it non uniform and too fluid, at times, or too stiff and subject to local heating and hardening and consequent formation of solid accumulations. Such use of water or steam has presented varying requirements, accordingly, in order to effect the satisfactory spreading, distribution and contact of the filler composition with the shoe bottom and consequent variations in the results obtained in the finished, filled shoe.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages and difficulties with shoe filler compositions of the prior art, both in procedure and with reference to the apparatus used in conjunction therewith.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for conditioning certain new shoe filler compositions, in which neither water, steam nor other volatile component enters into or needs to be added to the shoe filler composition, at any stage of the operations.

It is also an object of the invention to provide for the certain supply of the shoe filler composition, conditioned so as to develop its thermoplastic properties and characteristics suitably for the operations to be carried on and for the operators comfort and convenience, without the necessity of constant adjustment, control or modification, in the steps involved.

It is also an object to provide a continuous column of conditioned thermoplastic filler composition, uniformly and progressively advanced to a desired consistency and unitary plastic flow, as a whole, which is commensurate in amount and rate of preparation with the requirements for the filling of the shoe bottom cavities which are to be filled therewith in any given case and whether the operator is fast or slow, interrupted or steady.

It is a further object to co-ordinate the conditioning of the shoe filler composition with the operations of filling the conditioned composition into the shoe bottom cavities and its consequent consumption, and with the steps and apparatus used for compressing the deposited filler into the cavity which has been filled therewith, so that there will be no loss of time, motion, or material, and no in- Patented Aug". 3, 1960 ice terruption at any stage of the complete sequence of op- 1 erations.

Other objects and accomplishments to be served by the present invention will appear from the following disclosure and the accompanying drawings and claims.

A typical and representative example of the process and apparatus aspects of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric projection or upper, front, cornerwise view, from the left side, of the conditioning apparatus, having two conditioning chambers, in parallel, in combination with and operated by a shoe filler press;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the conditioner, showing the operating panel and constructional and functional details associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal side-view, with parts broken away, and axial cross-section of one of the conditioning chambers and associated elements, in the plane indicated and in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the conditioner, in section, in the plane and in the direction of the arrows 4-4, as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section, in part, and an elevation, in part, of the actuator of the conditioning mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a skeleton, isometric projection, or upper, front, cornerwise view, from the right, of the inner, cylindrical heating chambers and vertical supply chambers leading thereto, with associated heating and control elements therefor; and

Fig. 7 is a front view of the inner conditioning and supply chambers, shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, it will be seen that the conditioner is shown alongside and in conjunction with a shoe filler press, both being mounted at a convenient height from the floor for the operator to use while in a standing position, the lower portions of both being broken away.

The conditioner, as shown, contains two units, A and B, in parallel, each comprising a rear feed chamber 1, a cylindrical horizontal conditioning chamber 2 and a front, closure and operating panel 3, with surrounding enclosure walls, as shown. For convenience, the unit A, on the left hand side of the drawing, will be more particularly described, in detail, though the parallel unit B is substantially identical therewith, as will hereinafter appear, and the numerals and references may be applied thereto as well.

The upstanding feed chamber 1, into which cakes or lumps of the solid shoe filler composition 4, 4, are

charged, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, is preferably large enough to hold a very considerable supply of such cakes,

The feed chamber 1 opens at the bottom into the rear part of the horizontal, cylindrical conditioning chamber 2, which is closed at its rear end by a vertical plate 5 (Fig. 6) and at its front end by the vertical closure plate tube, having a helical screw or blade 11, mounted or' cast upon its outer surface 12 and fitting accurately, along i the outer periphery of its helical blade 11, within the cylindrical wall 13, of the conditioning chamber 2. The

shaft 10 also has an axial, hollow, inner chamber 14. The chamber 14 has firmly mounted therein a sleeve 15, a .which is also hollow and adapted to receive therein an;

insulated, electrical resistance heating element 16, preferably extending from one end to the other and thus effec tive to transmit heat throughout the length of the sleeve 15;- sliaftz10, conveyor surface112. and the helical blade'll.

Fitting against the outside of end plate 5 is provided acap 17, which is alsoreceived-upon the tiero'ds-6 and held'byv the nuts 7. The cap 17 has a boss 18 which re.- ceives the end of the conveyor shaft and also of the inner sleeve 15. The latter isengaged andheld by the outer plate 19, attached to the boss 18 by screws 20, so as to hold the shaft Ill/and sleeve in adjusted position, for rotation.

Mounted on the endof the-sleeve 15: by. screws'21 is anlelec'trically'insulated rotor 22, having electrical CD111" nections23, 24', leading from the electric resistance heater unit 16 to thering commutators-25, 26, which in turn contact the brushes 27, 28, respectively, which are suit? ably mounted upon the plate 17 with leads to a source of. electric current to. operate andv control the heating element 16 by means of; the usual connections, switches, etc., notshown.

At the opposite end of the conditioning chamber 2, from the opening or feed chamber 1,. the cylindrical chamber14-in. the conveyor shaft 10 is fitted with a stub shaft 30, which is held in position by screws 31- and passes through a bearing 32, mounted in the-opening 8 in the end plate or panel .3 ofthe conditioning chamber and terminates in a ratchet wheel 33, axially mounted thereon.

A cam member 34-, which is axially rotatable about thestubshaft 30, is mounted. thereon, outside of the bearing 32 and of the panel 3, the operation of which will be described hereinafter.

Turning now to the press part of the Pparatuaunit C, which is shown in Fig. .1, it is of the usual poweroperated construction, as by an electricmotor 35. This is suitably set up to transmit a constantly reciprocating or oscillating, up and downv movement to the arm 36, which is pivoted at one end .to the frame of. the machine and at its free end it carries. a horizontal beam- 37. The

shoe presser plate 38 is carried on one end of the beam 37 and may be electrically heated, as by means of electric current through the flexible cable 39. The presser plate is located and operates vertically above an adjustabl'e'hor izontal roller 40, mountedon the top of a vertical support '41, which is slidable vertically in the base member 42 and may be raised and lowered and held in adjustefdposition'thereonby means of. ascrew or the like, notsho'wn, below.

The beam 37 also'carries on its outer or farthermost enda'verti'cally depending, two-dimensional joint member 43,. pivoted to receive, dependingfrom its lower elem'ent44, arod 45' "(see Fig...5)' the lower end of which passes'centrally through 'a cap 46 and is screw threaded to receive a nut there0n,'to engage and hold the cap 46 firmly in position. The -cap 46'is internally threadedrto receive the screw threaded cylinder 47, which, in turn, is s'crewthreadeda't' its lower end to fit into a similar cap 48'. The latter cap, 48, 'ha'sace'n'tral opening through which passes the rod 49,'having a nut 50 onits upper end, holding a washer 51, and,*between the "washer 51 and the lower cap member 48, there 'is mounted the compressron sprlng, 52.

The lower end of thevertical rod 49 "carries, in fixed po'sitionthere'on, a'right angle boss "53, the free end of which is pivoted at'54'to'the lower edge of a plate 55, which is mounted so as to turn freely about the free end of the st'ub shaft 30, in unit'A, as alreadydescribed above. The "plate 55 also has aspringpressed pawl 56, which is' 'piv'otally mounted thereon. The pawl 56 is'positioned' to -beanorrest'upon the cam 34,-above 'described,"in inoperative =position,'but is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 33, 'when the cam 34is in a'positionltorelease it. Thesepositions'ofthe pawl 56, cam .34 and ratchet w-te'el are shown in units A and B, respectively,lin. F g. 2-. e

To control the operative and inoperative positions of the cam 34, a projecting tab, is provided on the latter and connected by a vertical rod 57 to a short arm 58, having a finger catch 59 (Fig. 1) thereon at its outer end and pivoted at its inner end to the panel 3 at 60. The arm 58 also carries a sidearm 61, with a hook at its: end. to receive the upper end of a tension spring,62,. the lower endof, which is'fastened to' the panel3, at 63.

Thus, when the arm 58 is manually raised by the finger catch 59, the cam 34 is rotated fromthe inoperative position. as shown in unit A of Fig. 2, to the left, or counterclockwise, permitting the pawl 56 to drop and engage the ratchet wheel 33, as shown on unit B of Fig. 2. When released, the finger. catch,59 and lever, 58 arerreturned to their former positions by the tension spring 62 and the cam 34 raises the pawl 56 again to inoperative position above the ratchet wheel 33.

The operation of the pawl, 56, as thus described, is power-actuated throughv the vertical rod 49 andits. con: stant, oscillating .orreciprocating movemengbut on the upward movement of the latter, .only. This, movement. is transmitted through the compression spring 52, in, the cylinder 47, already describedabove, so as..to.b e relieved of any possible abrupt motionor shock, whether, inoperative or in inoperative position.

Relative. to the operation of. theshoe filler press, unit C, in Fig. 1, therefore--the pawl 56' is operated upon the retraction or. upward stroke of the. rod 49 and of the. shoe press plate 38,, and not on the downward or compression stroke of the press plate 38. This avoids any neutralizing effects or opposition to the operation or power requirements of the shoe press unit and the conditioning units, which thus conveniently alternate with each other in these respects.

The devices which have been thus described with regard to unit A and with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, are likewise provided, as shown in unit B, to which like numerals will apply and which maybe intermittently or simultaneously operated injlike manner to the unit A, through the rocker arm 64. This'ispivoted' to the plate 55 and 65 and to acorrespondingplate 55 at65', andheld by a tension spring 66, which is attached 'to-the'panel 3, at 67, to assure its return'from eachpositive stroke which is-thus transmitted to it.

The panel 3 is provided with an outlet opening 68, therethrough, from the conditioning chamber 2-, and 'a similar opening 68', from the conditioning chamber 2 of the unit B, for discharging the conditionedshoefiller' composition from the respective conditioning chambers,

2 and 2", respectively, and delivering it therefrom onto the horizontal tray-'69. or directly upon a spatula-or like tool, held in the hand of the operator, notshown.

The feed chambers '1, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, are each substantially rectangular in horizontal cross-section and made up of the vertical plate 5, which formsthe rear wall (as above described) and longitudinal side 'walls '70 and 71 and the front'wall 72.

It is foundthat in orderto accommodate the loaves of shoe filler composition, 4, 4, as they are fed into it, or as left in the feed chamber 1 from a previous run ofthe apparatus, and solidified therein by cooling, and then heated up, itis advisable that the chamber shallbenarrower at-the top and widen continuously, from the top inlet to the bottom outlet into the conditioning chamber 2. -Both of the sidewalls, 70 and 71, therefore, are made to flare slightly from top to bottom, as, isshowninFig. .2,

and the front Wall 72 .also comes forward'somewhat, ,as seen in .Fig. 6. This continuous lateral enlargement of the .feed chamber cross-section, from top to bottom,.insures the continuous,-smooth, downward movement of the charge of the shoe filler composition, whatever its condi-V tion, for it also accommodates its progressive andsome: times rapid expansion, upon-.heatingupfrom cold condition to hot, and accompanying expansions, not only of the cakes of tiller but of escaping air'and the like readjustments.

Each of the side walls 70, 71 and 72, as shown, and the rear wall 5, if desired, is provided with appropriate sources of dry heat, such as electric resistance heaters, 73 and 74 at the top and 75, 76 and 77, on the side walls, respectively, and with thermostats 78, 79, to measure and continuously control them, in terms of the temperatures attained by the shoe filler composition in the corresponding parts of the feed chamber adjacent to them.

Likewise the conditioning chamber 2 is surrounded, throughout its circumference, by longitudinal heating elements, such as electrical resistant elements 80, 80, 80, 80, and the thermostatic regulators thereof, 81, to control the temperatures of the charge of filler composition, at any time and place, upon heating up and as it passes through and is delivered at the outlet of the chamber, for use. The thermostatic regulator or regulators 81 may also be connected to control the heating element 16 in the helical bladed shaft 10.

It is also to be pointed out that the feed chamber 1 stands above the conditioning chamber 2, throughout the full length and width of its cross-section, thus avoiding any possible interruption or resistance to the continuous, smooth, downward feeding of the shoe filler composition, throughout the course of the operations of the unit, whether in the form of heavy cakes or lumps, in loose condition, or in soft, thermoplastic condition and undergoing palstic flow, and whether under the influence of positive pressure or of gravity, or both. To this end, also, the feed chamber 1 is preferably oifset with respect to the horizontal axis of the conditioning chamber 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, with its outer side wall 71 forming a continuous surface, tangential with the inner surface 13 of the cylindrical conditioning chamber 2, so that the surfaces are continuous, smooth and not interrupted in any way or at any point.

In carrying out the invention, in its practical application to the manufacture of shoes, electric current from any convenient source will first be turned on at the switch (not shown) to pass through the brushes 27, 28, and commutators 25, 26, and thermostatic regulator 81, to the electric resistance heater unit 16, mounted in the axis of the helical screw conveyor shaft 10. This will heat the helical conveyor shaft, its surface 12 and blade 11, and also adjacent parts. It will also, in turn, heat the shoe filler adjacent to these surfaces to the required temperature for slippage over its surfaces and the stage of plastic flow of the binder component and thus develop the desired consistency of the charge to promote its uniform plastic flow, as a whole.

The current will also be turned on to pass through the electric heaters 73, 74 and 75, 76 and 77, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, under control of the thermostats 78, 79 and heaters 80, under control of the thermostats 81.

In this way, heating will be commenced substantially simultaneously throughout the surface areas of the feed chambers 1, 1 and of the conditioning chambers 2, 2', as well as of the surface 12 of the helical conveyor shaft 10, blade 11 and all parts and surfaces adjacent to them, and uniformly distributed to and through the charge of shoe filler composition, in degree of temperature and amount of heat transferred to it.

If some of the filler composition has been left in the conditioner chamber from previous operations it will be heated uniformly in this way, or fresh cakes 4, 4, are charged into the feed chamber 1, or both. The charge as a whole will be heated up, gradually but promptly, to a softening temperature and soon develop its inherent thermoplasticity to the desired yield point for unitary plastic fiow. This may be at about the boiling point of water, 212 F., or higher, as for example 250 F. to 325 F., or even higher, but below any temperature at which charring of the cork granules or deterioration of the binder component of the filler composition might occur. i

As the charge of filler composition in the conditioning chamber softens sufiiciently, which can be readily determined by inspection, test, temperature or feel, and usually commences around 200 F., the motor 35 of the shoe press may be started. This operates the shoe presser plate 38, as above described, the oscillating up and down movement of which is transmitted to the rod 45 and thence, through the compression spring 52, to the rod 49, as already described in detail above.

Meanwhile, the operator will prepare and arrange the shoes which are to be filled, in readiness for the filling operation, and when the filler composition in the conditioner has acquired the desired consistency for use, he will raise the finger catch 59 and hold it for a few seconds.

This raises the rod 57 and the cam 34, rotating the latter from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2, with respect to the unit A, to the operative position, as shown in unit B. Thereupon the pawl 56, resting upon the already oscillating plate 55 and riding upon the cam 34-, will drop therefrom and successively engage the ratchets upon the ratchet wheel 33 and advance it, clockwise, step by step, thus rotating the conveyor shaft 10, clockwise. The thus turning helices of the blade 11 progressively advance the thermoplastic charge of shoe filler composition, as it softens and falls by gravity through the feed chamber 1, into and through the conditioning chamber 2, up to the closure wall or panel 3 and thence through the outlet opening 68 (Figs. 1 and 3). Such delivery will be in graduated amounts, as determined by the timing and observation of the operator and directly by the number of oscillations of the pawl which he allows to be efiective upon the ratchet wheel 33, before he releases the finger catch 59.

When a sufficient amount of the filler composition has been delivered, the operator will release the finger catch 59. Thereupon, the rod 57 will drop, under the positive action of the spring 62, rotating the cam 34 back into its former position. The cam 34 thus raises and holds the pawl 56 out of contact with the ratchet 33 and hence in inoperative position, although the pawl will continue to be operated by the rod 49 as well as the plate 55 on which it is mounted, from the constantly oscillating shoe filler press unit C, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operator may cut the extruded portion of the shoe filler composition from the remainder of the charge in the conditioner 2, as it comes through the outlet 68, with a spatula, putty knife, or the like, and thus obtain a predetermined amount of it. Or, he may prefer to let the extruded filler fall upon the tray 69 and shape it there and pick it up on his knife blade in. the required amounts.

In any event, the operator, with the lasted shoe in one hand, in reversed position so that the bottom cavity, in the under side of the inner sole, faces upwardly, will pick up the required amount of the shoe filler composition with his spatula or putty knife and apply it to the bottom cavity, with a firm stroke. At the same time, he will ordinarily give the blade a sidewise, slicking motion, at right angles to this stroke, so that as the filler strikes home in the shoe cavity the knife blade will tend to slip, upon what is now the upper surface of the plastic mass of filler composition. This has the tendency of making the filler not only find a firm position in the bottom cavity and upon the shoe bottom surfaces, but flattens, spreads out and slicks the top, free surface of the deposit. This is made possible and at the same time uniformly dependable of realization by the uniform development of the thermoplastic qualities and properties of the composition, by the conditioning treatment and conditioner of the present invention, throughout the entire charge and also in each portion thereof, as it is delivered therefrom immediately before and in readiness for each successive requirement for use.

. The shoe, still in reversed position with the flattened mass ofhot, thermoplastic filler composition in the-bottom cavity, is placed with its toeportion resting upon the horizontal roller 40- of the shoe press, when the presser plate 58'is in raised position, as shown in Fig. 1. As the presser plate next descends, in its regular, intermittent or oscillating movement, the presser plate 38, in a single compression (of but a few seconds or fraction of a seconds duration) will continue and com plete the spreading, flattening, wetting and penetrating, plastic rflow of the filler composition, over and through out the surfaces of the bottom cavity of the shoe and into all of the irregularities and contours which it may present. At the end of the stroke and of the thermoplastic flow of the charge of filler, the charge will form a flat, smooth, wet, top surface, which terminates in and along all of the margins of'the welt retaining it, in a smooth, fine line of intimate contact and union therewith, as the hot presser plate leaves it and returns to its raised position.

The pressure thusapplied may be very great, when a mechanical shoe presser is used, and may be applied slowly or for only an instant of time. Hence the composition must be readily rapidly and uniformly deformed, dispersed, and yet arrested from extraneous and uncontrolled flow and dispersion, beyond the shoe bottom cavity, and from penetration into or through the body and upper parts of the shoe, such as the welt or innersole. In short, it must be truly and uniformly thermoplastic and thermoplasticized at the atttained temperature and above the yield point of plasticity, under the pressures to be employed, and it must manifest uniform and unitary plastic flow, as a whole, under such pressures, without segregation or accumulation of either its binder component or of its granular body material. These conditions are satisfactorily and dependably accomplished by the procedure and apparatus of the present invention, with all of the usual thermoplastic shoe filler compositions, whether or not steam and/ or hot Water is employed. But preferably all volatile liquids, including steam and hot water, are omitted, as they can be in the present process and apparatus.

At the start of these operations, as in the morning or after any shut down, long .orshort, some of the filler composition may be left in the outlet end of the conditioning chamber 2' from its previous use. If so, a small, amount of it may come through prematurely, with out becoming sufficiently, softened or plasticized, upon tripping the finger catch 59.

to the fresh charge.

Additional heating elements may be mounted adjacent to the conditioning chamber and to the feed, chamber, effective to heat the same, or. the charge of shoe filler composition therein, directly, as .by conduction, radiation or other form of dry heat, if desired. But it is found that the heat supplied from the core of the helical screw conveyor shaft 10, surface 12 and blade 11, and along the side walls of the feed chamber 1 and conditioning chamber 2, as described, is evenly distributed throughout the charge of shoe filler composition and is suflicient, during the normal time of passage therethrough, to bring the entire charge uniformly to the temperature required to develop, maintain and control its thermoplastic properties to the extent and degree desired for use, without n su h a es, the filler will be simply returned to the feed chamber 1 and added 1 overheating-and without any insufficiently heated areas or irregularity or delay in the sequence of operations required to be performed.

A salient feature and accomplishment of the present to uniformity of composition, consistency and plasticity,

or plastic flow. The charge travels through the apparatus to form a continuous, plastic column of filler which acquires a condition suitable for its direct application to the bottom cavities of the shoes to be filled. Moreover,

it is conveyedregularlyv and automatically to the very hand of the operator, at a: rate and in such amounts as he desires, under the direct and convenient control of the operator, in all respects. Consequently, he is continuously supplied with his needs of conditioned filler composition, to suit his specific requirements, both as to condition and amount, at all times.

In order to continue and maintain these accurately conditioned properties of the filler as it is supplied to the operator, after it leaves the conditioned chamber, the tray 69 may advantageously be heated, as by means of an electrical resistance unit beneath it, not shown, if desired.

We claim:- '1 Apparatus for-use in applyingshoe filler compositions to'the bottom cavities of shoes, which comprises avertical substantially angularly shaped feed chamber, with downwardly and outwardly flaring side walls, for

the cakes of filler and having an opening at its flared bottom portion discharging tangentially into a horizontal cylindrical conditioning chamber, a conveyor shaft, having helical blades mounted and closely fitting within the cylindrical conditioning chamber, heating means within the helical conveyor shaft, heating means in the wall of the conditioning chamber, an outlet opening in the end of the conditioning chamber to deliver a plastic mass to be applied to the shoe being operated on, and power means forrotation of the conveyor shaft.

2,. Apparatus according'to claim 1 in which thermostatic control means are provided for maintaining the temperature of the conditioning chamber and of the-fillercomposition at the yield point of temperature for the filler composition.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which additional thermostatic control means-are provided for maintaining the temperature of the vertical feed chamber and of the, filler composition at the yield point of temperature for the filler composition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,661 Torrey D c. 29, 1914 1,201,674 Baker Oct. 17, 1916 1,385,486 Hogue July26, 1921 1,796,671 Thomas Mar. 17, 1931 1,894,228 Thoma Jan. 10, 1933 1,900,317 Thoma Mar. 7, 1933 

